Sports day, bongos’ bingo, and an intimate night prior legal ceremony in the Bandstand, Alex and Francesca celebrated their wedding in a fun-filled weekend at Thicket Priory – complete with the most adorable furry guests and an extremely entertaining dual master of ceremonies and man of honour!
To sum up their weekend, Fran & Alex said…
“What an unforgettable weekend!
From the moment we entered thicket priory on our visit and were greeted by the wonderful Anna, we truly saw the beauty within Thicket and not just its aesthetics. Anna brought our wedding to life the moment we walked through those doors 2 years ago.
Throughout the whole process, Anna and the team were so supportive, and we cannot thank them enough for everything they did – supporting us and other couples through what could have been a disastrous moment!!
Wedding planning can be extremely stressful, however, having the support of Anna and the team throughout the whole process really took those stresses away – everything was taken in their stride (and made me feel very organised!!)
The weekend itself – just WOW, as soon as we walked through those doors on Friday 10th May, we knew instantly that we could enjoy the weekend without having any worries / stresses on the day – absolutely everything was taken care of (even my wedding dress blunder!).
From start to finish, we enjoyed every second knowing we were in the capable hands of Anna, Lily and Becky – what a fabulous trio you are!
It goes without saying, Thicket Priory is the most beautiful venue we have ever seen, however it is the wonderful staff who create the magic and bring everything to life, making our dream wedding come true.
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts ♥️
Alex & Francesca xxx”
We asked them a few more questions about them and their wedding day…
When did you know they were ‘the one’/ how did they pop the question?
“We had an instant connection when we first met, and we just knew there was something special between us.
Alex popped the question in Dubrovnik – he took me on a surprise week away for my 30th birthday and asked me 4 days prior to my birthday! We had spent the day walking around the walls of Dubrovnik and in the evening with the beautiful back drop of the Adriatic Sea in the background, Alex popped the question!”
What was the biggest MUST HAVE for your wedding?
“We absolutely adored our personalised ceremony – using a Celebrant meant we were able to personalise the whole experience, which really did make the entire day.”
How did you find THE dress to say ‘I do’ in?
“At the very first wedding dress fitting, I found a dress I loved but as it was the first shop I went to, I wanted to still shop around ‘just in case’ – however, I kept finding myself falling for the same style of dress – I walked into Ava Rose Hamilton, and as soon as I put the dress on I instantly cried and so did my maid of honor and bridesmaid – that’s when I knew. Although it was a similar style, the different detail and feel just made me fall in love instantly.”
The chapel is the perfect ceremony space for if you are wanting to have a church-style wedding, with or without the religious aspect. The stained-glass windows provide the perfect backdrop for you to say ‘I do’, with a personal and unique celebrant-led ceremony.
How did you style your venue? Did your wedding day have a theme?
“We wanted a classic, white, and sage style – all of our suppliers delivered exactly what we wanted.”
The venue provides the perfect blank canvas for you to make your own – whether opting to keep it simple or fill it with flowers, the building suits it all, meaning you can bring your Pinterest board to life in whatever way you want!
What’s your funniest memory from the day?
“The speeches – everyone did an amazing job and there was not a dry eye in sight (from all the laughing!!)”
Other than saying ‘I do’ what is the most unforgettable moment from the day?
“Playing ‘Bongo Bingo’ to get everyone ready for the evening do just after the wedding breakfast – it was amazing to see everyone get so involved.”
Who gets the gold medal in the wedding Olympics for helping make your day amazing?
“Our wedding party (Man and Maid of Honor, Bridesmaids, Groomsmen) – they did an amazing job of ensuring the day ran so smoothly, and getting everyone on the dancefloor!”
If you’re wanting to include your beloved pooch(es) in your wedding, they are more than welcome to come along – we do recommend having a dog walker/sitter come along too, or even have a friend designated to the job as it makes it less stressful for both you and them! They could even just be brought by for an hour to be included in the photos, either way they’re bound to steal the show, just look at these two…
Out of 10, how involved was your partner in the planning process? Did this help with your planning process?
“I would say a strong 7 out of 10 – Alex was very involved, however, I am a huge control freak so he would have probably been involved more if I had of allowed him to be (haha).”
What was it about your venue that gives it the WOW factor? Would you recommend this venue to other couples?
“As soon as we turned onto the driveway, it gives you all of the feels – driving up to the house is an experience like no other. Then, when you walk through the doors you are instantly wowed by the sheer beauty and detail. When we were greeted by Anna and the team, they instantly brought our wedding and the venue to life – we just fell in love with absolutely everything !
We would 100000% recommend to everyone ! I feel all of our guests will be doing the same too as it is still a talking point of ‘the most beautiful wedding venue’ they have ever been to.”
It’s so important that you find a photographer you feel comfortable with and that you feel like can capture who you are … I think its safe to say Fran & Alex’s fun and outgoing personalities have been captured so well by Lucie and Jamie!
How did you pick the perfect photographer/videographer to capture your day?
“We found Lucie through Instagram and fell in love with her style! Once we had the first initial zoom call, we felt so comfortable and at ease with her that we knew she would be perfect for us on the day. Lucie was so organised and listened to absolutely everything we wanted. On the day, Lucie and Jamie made the perfect team and put us all at ease – the photos are stunning, and we could not have dreamed of anything better.”
Finally, what’s your best advice you could give to couples who are about to tie the knot?
“Remember you are not the hosts of your day; you are the main event!”
If you are dreaming of having your own fairytale wedding here at Thicket Priory after seeing Fran & Alex’s, please get in touch HERE.
With love,
Lil xXx
Supplier Love
Photographer Lucie Watson & Jamie Archer
Catering Purple Chilli
Celebrant I Do Your Ceremony
Florist Tweedle Floral Design
Bride’s Dress Ava Rose Hamilton / Miss Stella York
Suits Moss Bros
Makeup Amber Louise
Hair Sophie Cookson
Cake Cake and Coe
Entertainment Jonny Ross Music
Dog Walkers Bow Wow Vow
